Another Sermon
by Angel Acetylcholine
Summary: Just another sermon I wrote. Not really sure if it makes sense or not, but it made sense to me. I hope you guys enjoy it!


I would like to lift up a word from Acts 19:13-16 in the New International Version:

Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, "In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out." Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. One day, the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?" Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

I would like to lift up another thing. A question. Who are you?

I'll tell you this one thing. If the devil doesn't know who you are, then you must not be doing anything for God. The devil knew Jesus, because He was God's own Son and did many works and wonders walking the earth and still does works and wonders today. Paul also had a ministry on Earth, changed from a persecutor of Christians and the man who watched over the people that stoned Stephen's clothing to a man who was immersed by God's love and had a testimony to tell around the Ancient World. But if you're not in the devil's files, you must not be doing a lot of work for Jesus. You can try and try again to cast demons out of people, you can try and try again to preach, you can try and try to sing, you can try and try to testify, but if you don't do anything for Jesus, you are not doing anything.

Doing things for Jesus means that you LIVE FOR HIM, and not just on Sunday morning either. We're talking 24-7, 365 days of the year, 366 on a leap year. If you live purely, holy, modestly, truthfully, hopefully, Godly, faithfully, in love, and peacefully, and you live this lifestyle through and only through Christ Jesus, congratulations. God knows who you are - his faithful servant. And the devil knows who you are - WAY more powerful than he'll ever be. One person for Christ is much stronger than a legion of people with devils. So much stronger that one thousand shall fall at thy side, ten thousand at thy right hand, but it shall not come nigh thee.

We still haven't answered the question, "Who are you?" So let me lift up another verse from Luke 8:26-30.

They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes which is across the lake from Galilee. When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time, this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet shouting at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, son of the Most High God? I beg you, don't torture me!" For Jesus had commanded the evil spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him and though he was chained hand and foot, and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demons into solitary places.

Jesus asked him, "What is your name?"

"Legion," he replied, because many demons had gone into him.

An evil spirit can make you think you're not who you are. This guy's given name certainly was not Legion. He only said that because many demons had gone into him. Not because it was his given name by his parents. Only because it was a front that he had put on. What do you refer to yourself as? It could be a "prep", or a "gangster", or an "freak", or a "nerd", or a "popular person", or the "smart kid", or the "goth kid", or the "emo kid", or the "person that no one ever really cared about." It could be "fat" or "skinny" or "bad skinned" or "black" or "white". It could be a profession like "cook", "chauffeur", "mother", "father", "someone's best friend", or "clerk". It can even be "pastor", "youth director", "minister", "reverend", "deacon", and "clergy member". And it can be a combination of all these things! I'll tell you what I know that I am. I am the child of God. I am God's beloved messenger. I am not what the ominous "they" call me. If I were, I would not be here today to tell you that I am not what "they" say that I am. Are you what "they" say you are? Or are you something more.

But who are you? We still haven't answered that question yet! But we are coming to the final scripture that will answer that question, Job 32:6-9.

I am young in years; and you are old; that is why I was fearful; not daring to tell you what I know. I thought, age should speak; advanced years should teach wisdom. But it is the spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty that gives him understanding. It is not only the old who are wise, not only the aged who understand what is right.

It is the spirit in you that determines who you are. The spirit in a man gives them understanding, or the lack thereof. It can be the Holy Spirit or it can be a broken one. And you don't have to be old to receive this Godly understanding. You can be five and you can have understanding. You can be 99 going on 100 and still not have understanding. God IS understanding. So if you don't have God, then you have no understanding! And if you have no understanding, then you have no wisdom.

But here's something I want to say: The Holy Spirit gives wisdom. That's the Spirit in me, the spirit that gives me understanding, and I hope and pray that you have the same Spirit in you, too! Before, I used to have no wisdom. I faked having wisdom so that I could get along in life. But the scales that once covered my eyes have fallen at the Master's touch. And behold! I can see again!

Maybe there's someone here today. That's fallen. That is hurting. That is blind and can't see. Someone who's been doing something for so long that they just can't take it anymore. There's someone who needs peace. Someone who needs love, or wants joy. Or seeks God's face. Or maybe is going through the fire right now. I invite you to pray this prayer with me:

_Our Father which is in Heaven,_

_Hallowed be your name._

_Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven._

_Give us today our daily bread,_

_Forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors._

_And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one._

_For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever._

_Jesus, I come to you to ask you to forgive me. Forgive me of whatever I've done today. I plead the blood over my multitude of sins. Please forgive me. Let me be a great and prosperous branch in your tree of the Kingdom. Please let me know who I am. And put your Spirit inside me so that I can have your identity. I don't want to live in a fake world anymore - I want to be yours. I ask this in Jesus' name. _

_Amen and Amen._

I advise you to get into a Bible-based Church, buy a Bible AND READ IT (I learned my lesson from _that_) (if you cannot buy one, there are many versions in many languages on the Internet), and pray.


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